Emilio Pardo, AARP’s Chief Brand Officer, led a discussion with about 50 members and guests of the local chapter of MENG this past week in AARP’s new media center. The topic: Boomers, their size, influence and how marketers can better reach this demographic.

Why is brainstorming for new ideas often so disappointing? Sixty-plus members of the Ad Club got the answer at the November lunch meeting from Sheila Campbell of Wild Blue Yonder.

PRSA’s National Capital Chapter kicked off the holidays with a Nov. 20^th reception filled with networking, fine food, prizes and laughter at Elizabeth’s on L, a hip, converted DC row house.

Fleishman-Hillard promoted Martha Boudreau to president, U.S. Mid-Atlantic ... Joyce Bosc, president of Boscobel, was a finalist for the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Stevie Awards ... Peter Corbett, CEO of iStrategy Labs named "one to watch" by BOT ... Virilion adds Kelly Colbert to its Board of Directors.

Brunner changes name, management & focus of its D.C. office; GolinHarris selected to handle Cool Earth's U.S. launch; Strategic Communications Group adds TARP; Low + Associates wins awards for two PSA campaigns; CreatiVerge wins ...

Brunner changes name, management & focus of its D.C. office; GolinHarris selected to handle Cool Earth's U.S. launch; Strategic Communications Group adds TARP; Low + Associates wins awards for two PSA campaigns; CreatiVerge wins ...

The American Advertising Federation named Ron Owens recipient of its 2008 Pioneer of Diversity Award at its Diversity Achievement Awards Program in NYC ...  Spectrum Science Communications promoted Susie Tappouni to VP ... and Mary Jo Lampe joined NJVC as VP. 

On Feb. 17, 2009, broadcast television will switch from analog to digital so the FCC can reclaim the spectrum to make way for, among others things, mobile media.

On Saturday, Nov 22, FotoWeek DC’s gala evening at the National Geographic Society celebrated the culmination of FotoWeek DC's first annual festival of photography.

Design Army wins a number of awards and its owners named to Washingtonian magazine's best dressed list...Warschawski named one of the top-20 “Best Agencies to Work For” by The Holmes Report; and  John Hellerman, co-founder of Hellerman Baretz Communications, named “Agency Ex

Washington Business Journal announced its “2008 Women Who Mean Business” awards and among the winners are Eva Neumann, ENC Marketing & Communications, and Elizabeth Shea, SpeakerBox Communications.

The Twin Tech II crowd of approximately 1,200 seemed to lean more toward urban savvy than suburban hip.   

Advertising Week DC featured many dynamic and insightful speakers. The 16 events/sessions received a total of 4,789 registrants.

The Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital Chapter honored the talent, creativity and innovation in Washington PR at its annual Thoth Awards.

People in the News: James C. Lake, Maureen Davenport , Jen Krupey , Martha Miller, Jessica Klenk , Leanne Petti, Shany Seawright, Robyn Sachs, Pat Lovenhart, Lynn Osborne, Lisa Groover.

People in the News: James C. Lake, Maureen Davenport , Jen Krupey , Martha Miller, Jessica Klenk , Leanne Petti, Shany Seawright, Robyn Sachs, Pat Lovenhart, Lynn Osborne, Lisa Groover.

AXIS adds seven accounts, North Bridge Communications has been tapped to handle public affairs, The International Monetary Fund has awarded two six-figure PR contracts.

The deal between Livingston Communications, which is based in the DC area, and Canada's Social Media Group, which had been hailed as the creation of the largest social media communications agency, has been called off.

Approximately 350 people have signed up for the DC Ad Club's Advertising Week 2008, which begins Sept 15.

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- Robb Deigh, member of the DC chapters of PRSA and IABC, and principal of RDC Communication/PR, penned a PR book called "How Come No One Knows About Us?" and promoted it at BookExpo America in Los Angeles.

- The Washington Independent Writers Board of Directors has approved a name change to American Independent Writers.  The 33-year-old communicator’s organization will expand its focus from a DC-only area organization to a broader national one. The new name is effective July 1.

- GovMark Council, a not-for-profit forum that facilitates education and networking for senior-level marketing executives who serve the government Information Technology a ... Read More »

The Capitol Communicator, earlier this month, hosted a seminar on public service announcements at Interface Media Group.  One of the presenters was John Quinn of WJLA-TV who offered attendees a tip sheet called “The Top Seven Concepts that Make Good PSAs.”  If you would like a copy of John’s tip sheet, please e-mail phil.rabin@capitolcommunicator.com.

The media is providing significant coverage of what’s happening in the ever-changing, challenging world faced by communicators.  Working with Fleishman-Hillard’s DC office, we have identified some media reports worth sharing:

If the local communications community is in a recession, it would be news to the experts we contacted. That’s the finding of our unofficial and unscientific survey we conducted this month. That’s not to suggest these are boom times, in fact we heard that companies are being cautious in hiring, but we heard that business has been firm for much of the local communications community. Perhaps, as one person suggested, since the Washington, DC, area has a relatively small retail base, we’ve been spared significant setbacks. In fact, said one expert, those communicators with skills in new media and with health and “green” expertise still are in demand. Regarding people being more cautious, we did hear that some projects are taking longer as clients are taking longer to launch new initiatives.

The media is providing significant coverage of what’s happening in the ever-changing, challenging world faced by communicators.  Working with Fleishman-Hillard’s DC office, we have identified some media reports worth sharing:

• Speakers at a major advertising conference urged executives to stop wallowing in self-pity and meet the challeng ... Read More »

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• May 20 and 21 are the dates for this year’s VCU Brandcenter’s Portfolio Review and Recruiter Session.  The Recruiter Session in Richmond is set up like an open house where each student has a table where his/her ... Read More »

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• Brand Resources Group adds the Heart Rhythm Society, an international leader in science, education and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients; and The National Center for Healthy Housing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to decreasing children’s exposure to biological, physical and chemical hazards within the home.
• Bla ... Read More »
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• WestGlen Communications launches its next generation of its online multi–media audience development and promotion services. Geared towards assisting organizations in targeting video and audio to consumers directly through promotion via social media networks, bloggers and online communities, SocialPRo 2.0 combines numerous earned and paid media tactics with promotional and evangelical online efforts to connect marketers and their messages with key audiences and online communities.
• CARMA International launches a new, intuitive, online media measurement tool called CARMA NewsAccess, which will help companies and communications professionals stay abreast of daily media coverage that affects their business, issues and interests. NewsAccess provides basic, automated access to clients’ relevant coverage in traditional, non-traditional and social media and ... Read More »
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• WestGlen Communications launches its next generation of its online multi–media audience development and promotion services. Geared towards assisting organizations in targeting video and audio to consumers directly through promotion via social media networks, bloggers and online communities, SocialPRo 2.0 combines numerous earned and paid media tactics with promotional and evangelical online efforts to connect marketers and their messages with key audiences and online communities.
• CARMA International launches a new, intuitive, online media measurement tool called CARMA NewsAccess, which will help companies and communications professionals stay abreast of daily media coverage that affects their business, issues and interests. NewsAccess provides basic, automated access to clients’ relevant coverage in traditional, non-traditional and social media and ... Read More »
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Young MC

On April 29th, about 20 people gathered for the inaugural Young MC Happy Hour. Young MC is a new group for PR, marketing and advertising professionals under 35 working in or around DC.  The goal of the group is to bring folks together who share common professional interests and may otherwise never have the chance to meet. The invite-only crowd had a great time meeting new people, talking shop and enjoying some cocktails. To be included in future events, please visit: http://youngmcdc.wordpress.com/ or email youngmcdc@gmail.com.  All events will ... Read More »